Philippines still on weaker half of most powerful passport lists

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By: Kristine Joy Patag (philstar.com) 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine passport has moved two spots higher but remains in the lower half of the latest world’s most powerful passports rankings.

The Philippines moved from the 72^nd spot to the 70^th in the latest Henley Passport Index released on May 22.

The list ranked 199 passports from one to 100 according to the freedom they allow their holders to travel visa-free to up to 227 different travel destinations—including countries, territories and micro-states.

image: https://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/infographics/20180524/powerful-passport.jpg

The Philippines shared the 70^th spot with Azerbaijan, the Dominican Republic and Tunisia. A Philippine passport holder now has visa-free access to 66 countries, three more compared to the index released in January.

Japan emerged as the most powerful passport allowing visa-free entry to 189 destinations.

Germany and Singapore shared the 2^nd spot as their passport holders could visit 188 destinations without a visa. Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country to land a spot on the five most powerful passports list.

Ranking 3^rd were passports from Finland, France, Italy, South Korea, Spain and Sweden which could freely enter 187 destinations. 

Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Iraq ranked as the least powerful passports at the 100^th spot as they allow visa-free access to only 30 destinations.

Southeast Asian rankings

The Philippine passport fell to the 7^th spot compared to its Southeast Asian neighbors.

LIST: Where you can travel visa-free with a Philippine passport

Indonesia, meanwhile, is the biggest gainer in the region as it jumped 12 spots to 67^th from 79^th in the 2017 global rankings.

Malaysia followed Singapore as the second most powerful passport in the region as it allows visa-free access to 180 countries.

Brunei, Timor Leste and Thailand landed the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th spot, respectively.

Meanwhile, Myanmar ranked the lowest, granting visa-free access to 48 countries only.

image: https://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/infographics/20180524/powerful-passport-southeastasia.jpg

The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the passports of the world according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free.

The ranking is generated from exclusive data of the International Air Transport Association, which maintains the world’s largest and most comprehensive database of travel information.

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/24/1818250/philippines-still-weaker-half-most-powerful-passport-list#kOigKbbuZ1ARhpDv.99

Bicam approves national ID

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By: Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) 

MANILA, Philippines — The bill implementing a national ID system is expected to be ratified by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Monday after the two chambers have reconciled conflicting provisions in their respective versions of the landmark measure.

The reconciliation of the differing bills last Tuesday was swift after the House agreed to adopt the Senate’s version of the Philippine Identification System Act with minor changes.

Once ratified, the bill will be sent to President Duterte for his signature.

The Senate panel was led by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, principal author of the measure, while the House contingent was headed by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, with former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Lacson said the bill lapses into law if not signed by the President.

“So give or take by June end or before end of June, that becomes a law,” Lacson said. “This is a landmark legislation. It’s been languishing in both Houses for 18 years.”

He said the implementation of the national ID system will have an initial funding of P25 billion and he hopes it will be implemented within the year.

Lacson said such a system will not only make transactions with government easier due to its integration of various existing IDs, it will also help deter criminality while making it easier to deliver assistance to the poor.

He said there are at least 33 different “functional” identification cards issued by various government agencies.

Under the national ID system, the new ID will also be “foundational,” in which each Filipino covered by the system will have a unique, non-transferable identification marker, he said.

The system will be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Malacañang yesterday welcomed the bicameral conference committee’s approval of the bill establishing the national ID system.

“That’s good news. It is a priority administration bill,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

For their part, lawmakers yesterday also lauded the approval of the bill.

“This is a welcome development to boost the country’s security. We expect the President to sign this into law once Congress ratifies the measure,” Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said.

Reps. Winston Castelo, Robert Ace Barbers, Karlo Nograles and House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu also commended the bill that will establish a single, unified and streamlined national identification system in the country.

“The National ID System measure will provide a valid proof of identity and an efficient official identity verification of all citizens of the country,” Castelo, chairman of the House committee on Metro Manila development, said.

“The passage of the bill would help law enforcement agencies arrest lawbreakers and those behind illegal activities, including banned substances,” said Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs.

Nograles, chairman of the powerful House appropriations committee, urged the PSA to immediately implement the national ID system once President Duterte signs the bill into law.

“Let us remind the PSA to implement the measure using the budget of P2 billion we allocated for 2018. The figure is broken down as follows: P1.9 billion for capital outlay and P100 million for maintenance and other operating expenses,” he said.

Abu made a similar appeal to all concerned government agencies.

“This is very important in our fight against terrorism and other lawless elements. We expect the PSA to immediately implement this after the measure becomes a law. This will help interconnect the countless and redundant government IDs,” he said.

OSH bill

The Senate ratified yesterday the occupational safety and health standards that seeks to amend the 41-year old Labor Code, which does not penalize violations of OSH standards.

For the longest time, violation of OSH standards had no fines or penalties. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) only issues a work stoppage order (WSO) if there is an imminent danger that could result to disabling injury.

During the bicameral conference committee meeting last Monday, the House of Representatives contingent agreed to adopt the Senate version of the measure that would impose an administrative fine of P100,000 per day for non-correction of OSH standards violation, counted from the date the employer or contractor is notified of the violation or the date the compliance order is duly served on the employer.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, author of the measure and chairman of the committee on labor, said there is an urgent need to protect workers from hazards in the workplace that could be prevented if only the government has clear and effective policies on OSH standards.

“We are elated that after three Congresses, this bill is now closer to becoming a law,” he said, even as he thanked his colleagues “for supporting this personal crusade which we have been strongly pushing to give due justice to our workers and to assure a level playing field to establishments that comply to the OSH standards.”  – With Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/24/1818135/bicam-approves-national-id#uGIXQ0TvAPELvLkZ.99

Five myths about Bataan Power Plant debunked

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By: Kristine Daguno-Bersamina (philstar.com)

SOCHI, Russia — Sitting atop a 389-hectare government property along the coast of Morong, Bataan, the hulking Bataan Nuclear Power Plant has stood quietly since its construction in the 1980s.

For almost 40 years, the fate of what critics called the "monster" of Morong has been hotly debated.

"We are the first in Southeast Asia to develop power plant but never used it," said Philippine Nuclear Research Institute Director Carlo Arcilla during a round table discussion at the 10th Atomexpo International Forum held in Sochi, Russia.

Atomexpo is a key exhibition event in Russian nuclear industry, organized by Russia's state atomic energy corporation Rosatom.

Arcilla, a geoscientist and geotechnical engineering expert, said it is important to set the facts straight about the first nuclear power plant in the Philippines. 

"We (Filipinos) have suffered so many fake news in nuclear... It's overriding the public perception," he said.

Here are five prevailing myths about the dormant Bataan Nuclear Power Plant that experts debunked.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has certified that there is no fault underneath the mothballed nuclear power plant. 

Philvolcs added that the BNPP was built on a solid foundation of hard rock. 

"While there are publications suggesting faults proximate to the plant, these do not underlie the plant, which would have made the plant inoperable," the PNRI chief said.

The proximity of the suspected faults, according to Arcilla, will require proof of the following:  

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• That the faults are active
• The maximum earthquake that can come from such active fault cannot be withstood by the 0.4g seismic design of the BNPP. The 0.4g design means that the whole nuclear structure can withstand ground acceleration at 4 meters/second/second, or 40 percent the acceleration due to gravity. 

BNPP was built on the eruptive products on the flanks of Mount Natib but not on the crater of the volcano, Arcilla noted. 

Since Mount Natib is a dormant volcano, Philvolcs dismissed possible hazards pertinent to BNPP's location such as volcanic eruption.

"For perspective, practically the whole of Metro Manila is built partially on pyroclastic flows (adobe) from Laguna de Bay caldera, which is much younger than Natib," Arcilla said.

"Laguna de Bay is not an active volcano, and Metro Manila is not built on a volcano," he added.

Since the length of the Manila trench is shorter than Japan's, experts say that the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that occurred close to the Fukushima plant "will probably not happen" in the Philippines. 

An 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Mindanao in 1876 is the strongest that hit the country.

Arcilla emphasized that the earthquake did not destroy the Fukushima plant, Japan's oldest nuclear power plant.

Part of the disaster was the complete breakdown of the Fukushima plant after it was swamped by a tsunami produced by the earthquake.

The tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling systems of three Fukushima reactors, resulting to the release of radioactive materials to its surroundings. 

The PNRI chief said that the accident could have been prevented had the operator followed an earlier advice to move its diesel engines for cooling at higher grounds.

"In contrast, BNPP elevation is 18 meters above sea level, which is higher than the 14-meter tsunami that happened in Japan. In addition, all the 420 plus nuclear power plants in the world have made redundant systems so that the loss of cooling will not be repeated. These lessons will be implemented if the BNPP is rehabilitated," he added.   

Philippines' first nuclear power plant has at least three working sister plants which are very profitable and has been safely operating for 40 years. 

These include Angra in Brazil, Krsko in Slovenia and Kori2 in Korea. 

The said nuclear power plants "have more than recovered their investments and have upgraded to the latest operational standards," Arcilla noted.

Though the BNPP was never used, its nuclear core is still sound based on the recent evaluations made by the Korea Electric Power Corp. and Rosatom.

"The main challenge in rehabilitating BNPP is financial because of the replacements of ancillary parts like the steam generator and turbines, among others," the PNRI chief said.

Arcilla explained that the BNPP was built to withstand a seismic load of  0.4 g. Japan's Fukushima plant had a peak horizontal ground acceleration of 0.12g only.  

This is more than twice that of the Fukushima plant and with upgrades to prevent repeat of the nuclear accident, he noted.  

"Japan has similar geologic conditions in the Philippines and has at least 50 nuclear plants; Taiwan is also similarly tectonically active and has at least 4 NPPs, and Krsko is the only seismically designed NPP in western Europe," Arcilla said. 

He assured that BNPP's containment structure was designed to resist the crashlanding of a large wide body aircraft. 

Roads and sidewalks cleared ....

...of obstructions in Barangay 206 in Tondo, Manila

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By Jel Santos, Manila Bulletin

Obstructions in a barangay in Tondo, Manila were recently cleared by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Members of MMDA conduct a clearing operation at different baranggays in Tondo.
(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

This came after the 8888, the government’s citizen complaint hotline, received tons of complaints regarding obstructions in Barangay 206, Zone 19, District II, Manila.

Personnel from the Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group and Task Force Special Operations spearheaded by MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim inspected Dinalupihan Street in Tondo under the jurisdiction of Barangay 206, Zone 19, District II in Manila.

Illegally parked vehicles, mostly privately owned, were towed, and sidewalks were cleared of obstructions like canopies and ambulant stores.

“We received lots of obstruction complaints in this area about road obstructions and we have to act on it to widen the road and provide pedestrians a safe place to walk,” Lim said.

According to him, he gave the outgoing and incoming barangay chairperson seven days to self-demolish structures including the Barangay Hall itself, which is encroaching the sidewalk area.

Ederlinda Mercado and Romeo Marcellano, outgoing and incoming barangay chairpersons, respectively, pledged cooperation to clear the sidewalks in their barangay.

They assured Lim that the illegal structure will be demolished in seven days.

The chairman said the MMDA will return to the area after a week to ensure that demolition and clearing was done, as committed by the barangay officials.

He also urged all newly elected barangay officials to exercise their authority as frontliners and cooperate with the government to avoid encountering bigger traffic problems in the future.

Do you pray?

My column in Mindanao Daily News, Mindanao Daily Mirror and Businessweek Mindanao

When tragedy strikes, it's easy to harden our hearts and cry out, "God, why did you let this happen?" Maybe then, we started praying. Before, when everything goes smooth, we would not even think a minute about praying... .

"To be a Christian without prayer, "said Martin Luther, "is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." Prayer is the only way of becoming what God wants us to be. This is the reason, why Jesus spent many hours in praying.

Unquestionable, our needs bring us to a place of prayer. Confronted with danger or tragedies, as I mentioned earlier, we look for God's help. Difficult times always cause the hearts of men to turn to God into prayer. 

Let me ask you: How long has it been since your're brought your burdens to God? Since you asked His forgiveness for your shortcomings? 

In his very interesting book "People in Prayer", Dr. John White reminds us that prayer is a divine-human interaction and it is always God who takes the initiative. White write: "God speaks and we respond. God is always speaking. To hear his voice is not usually a mystical experience. It consists merely of a willingness to pay heed to God who lays a claim to our lives."

Yes, God always speaks. It is up to us whether we will listen and respond to Him. Many think we are the ones who initiate prayer. But prayers begin and end with God. 

There was a time, I wasn't in the mood to pray any more. It seemed that God didn't listen my prayer any more. I didn't get what I prayed for. Of course, not... ! That's not the meaning of praying to God. All my wishes will be granted? Heaven forbid!

Sometimes, after we have prayed, God's answers may puzzle us. But as time times goes by and as events unfold we see God's purpose in his answers. We might get a larger vision, what HE likes. Not what WE like... .

Think about it for a moment" How does the idea that prayer begins and ends with God affect me now? Do I have the habit of listening to god? How do I respond to Him? How do I usually pray?

I confess that long time ago I have been trying to persuade God to change other people in my surroundings or circumstances. Nothing changed. Of course not, what a fatal attraction? I got confused because God never granted my requests. Meanwhile I got God's answers to my prayers. Maybe very simple: I was willing to let God change me... .This is how each one of us should start. Happy endings. Because I prayed according to His will... .

Nowadays, I live a wonderful life in my second and last home, the Philippines. I never regretted to move here for good. I said this already many, many times. I have everything I could ask for. I can do everything I wish to do. Thank you Lord.

An awesome artist from Davao City

Juliet Salinas lives in Maa, Davao City, Philippines. She is a mother of 3 children and a Makeup Artist,Creative Designer and Body Painter since 2009. 

As an artist, Juliet has a lot of experience in terms of make-up and artwork photo-shooting inside and out of the country. She dreams to prolong and extend more of her ability and focus to share it to others who are willing to join her journey.

Through this, she can help younger generations, like for example the new photographers, Aspiring Models and a hair dresser stylish can be a great makeup artist.

With the partner Ms.Tin Suarez, Managing Director, and Ms. Missy R.Villanueva, Executive Producer of Manila Production in Singapore, they decided to conduct a photo-shoot which theme of environmental art form.

Indicated here are the outcome of their photo- shoot.

#1 photo
A happy fairy Garden
MODEL:MARIELFREN NICOLE
PHOTOGRAPHER: Whitney Cambridge
Hair stylish: Ivan Gentopia
MUA/ CREATIVE Designer: Juliet Salinas juls
LOCATION:CROCODILE Park
You can wish to have a happy day to the happy fairy.Clean and green environment and feel the the good life.
#2Photo
KOREADIAN acombination of Korean and Indian concept clearly shows that we can do and bind other nationality and make a stunning output.
Photographer:Emman Roy Hepi
MUA/creative designer:Juliet Salinas Juls
Hair STYLIST:Ivan Gentopia
Model: Khate Diane
Loc.:Crocodile Park
#3Photo
A lovely New York magician girl,
Photographer:WHITNEY CAMBRIDGE
Model:Julia M.Verah
Hair stylish:Ivan Gentupia
MUA/Creative Designer:JULIET SALINAS JULS
SHE SHOWSTHAT WE CAN DO THINGS BY PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT.LOVE YOUR SURROUNDING , AND THE NATURES FIRST THEN YOU CAN SEE THE MAGIC.
#4Photo
A exotic Japanese warrior live with a brave heart. She can stand by herself to fight for her right. The model and the photos proved that they can defense the nature on their on ways.
Photographer:Emmanuel Roy Hipe
Model:Tin Suarez
HMUA:Juliet Salinas Juls
LOCATION:Villa Viva Belgica
#5Photo
The tiger looks.
A painted skin of a tiger model show you how great the nature is and that we should be protect our nature as more than the wild animals can do destroying our lovely nature can cause bad or death to our precious endanger creature.
Photographer:MAISI Book
Model: jheana Galgo
MUA/painter artist:Juliet salinas juls..
Location:Crocodile Park
#6photo
Japanese exotic WARRIOR
A model shows the different kind of identity. She can be a good one or bad in her look but you can't tell,unless you will be able to put your feet on her shoe.
Photographer:Maisi Book
Model :Tin Suarez
HMUA:juliet Salinas juls
Location:villa viva belgica
#7photo
A BARBARIAN WARRIOR
She can fight for the right to protect the mother nature,who ever trying to destroy the environment. She will be your biggest enemy - so don't you dare ,inspired by juliet imaginary action.
Photographer :Emmanuel Roy Hipe
Model:Bench Rock
MUA/creative designer:juliet salinas juls 
HAIRSTYLE :Ivan Gentopia
Location.CrocodilePark
#8Photo
KOREADIAN a lovely smile from the combination of korean and indian inspired looks
Photographer:Whitney Combridge
Model: Khate Diane
MUA/creative designer:Juliet Salinas juls
Hair stylish:Ivan Gentopia
Location:Crocodile Park
Model show that even with a simple smile make u feel better.Indeed love yourself.
#9Photo
A tiny yellow flower fairy
Photographer:Emman Roy Hipe
Model:princess Dingpin
MUA/designer:Juliet Salinas juls
Hair stylish :Ivan Gentapia
Location:CROCODILE Park
A tiny lil girl a lovely yellow flower fairy can give the brightest way of your day.She can bring your lovely lighted whole day.
#10Photo
A little tiny yellow fairy
MODEL:PRINCESS DINGPIN
Photographer:whitney Cambridge
Hair stylish:Ivan Gentopia
Mua/creative designer:Juliet Salinas juls
LOCATION:CROCODILE PARK
A tiny flower,tiny things,tiny beautiful yellow fairy can give a big joy and big comfort zone in our environment.Love and care is the key to our happiness thebnature of love can bring it.
#11Photo
A happy fairy Garden
MODEL:MARIELFREN NICOLE
PHOTOGRAPHER: Whitney Cambridge
Hair stylish: Ivan Gentopia
MUA/ CREATIVE Designer: Juliet Salinas juls
LOCATION:CROCODILE Park
You can wish to have a happy day to the happy fairy. Clean and green environment and feel the the good life.
#12Photo
The magic of one smile
Model:JULIA M VERAH
HAIRSTYLE BY:IVAN GENTOPIA
MUA/CREATIVE DESIGNER :JULIET SALINAS JULS
PHOTOGRAPHER:EMMANUEL HEPI
LOC:CROCODILE PARK
She can do magic with her smile,love yourself as well as your mother nature.
#13Photo
The magic of one smile
Model:JULIA M VERAH
HAIRSTYLE BY:IVAN GENTOPIA
MUA/CREATIVE DESIGNER :JULIET SALINAS JULS
PHOTOGRAPHER:EMMANUEL HEPI
LOC:CROCODILE PARK
She can do magic with her smile,love yourself as well as your mother nature.

Philippines won't go to the dogs ....

Duterte says China’s Xi ‘won’t allow’ him to be ousted

Published time: 17 May, 2018 03:22Edited time: 17 May, 2018 03:35

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© Ng Han Guan / Reuters

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping once offered Rodrigo Duterte personal assurances his country “won’t go to the dogs,” the Philippines president said, noting that the former colony won’t become Washington’s “vassal” ever again.

“’We will be there if you need us,’” Duterte said on Tuesday, recalling a conversation with the Chinese president. “The assurances of Xi Jinping were very encouraging. Eh, they are there.”

“'We will not allow you to be taken out from your office, and we will not allow the Philippines to go to the dogs,'” he said, paraphrasing Xi.

READ MORE: 'If my plane explodes, ask the CIA’ – Duterte after requesting arms from Russia & China

In the Philippines, the president serves a single six-year term without possibility of re-election. Duterte, who was sworn in as the 16th president on June 30, 2016, previously warned that he could declare a revolutionary government if criticism of his rule escalates into a full-scale plot to oust him. Last month, he even joked that the CIA might want to assassinate him over Manila’s decision to get weapons from China and Russia.

The Philippines repeatedly asked Washington for modern weapons to combat Islamic State-linked (IS, formerly ISIS) militants. The US, however, refuses to sell weapons to its former colony, citing “concerns” about the country’s human rights record amid the ongoing war on drugs.

Read more

‘Futile to mimic West’: Philippines’ Duterte wants Asia to pursue an independent foreign policy

“You do not buy your arms from one source only, because if you do that you become a colony of your supplier... You are reduced to a vassal,” Duterte explained, referring to the US.

The sharp-tongued leader has made an independent foreign policy a signature of his presidency, and with China’s apparent backing, Duterte feels more confident tackling security issues facing his country.

“China said ‘We will be there.’ I’m not sure with the Americans because the Americans have lost their will to fight,” he said in a mixture of Filipino and English. “They only have weaponry, cruise missile, maybe they also have a supersonic thing, but the boots on the ground, the ones who will go there to fight, America is scared.”

“They are deathly afraid of death and they do not want to. They only know human rights… that’s why they are deteriorating,” the 73-year-old leader added, explaining that US soldiers cannot stand “hardships” and can’t operate outside of “air-conditioned rooms.”

Take off Sale ....

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